Let’s get ready to rumble! This post is going to offend people and that is perfectly fine. So without further delay, let’s get into it.

Network marketing is a business. Marketing is a skill. You MUST master marketing to be successful in this field. PERIOD!

I believe in the power of network marketing to change lives, lift bank accounts, build leaders and produce results. That is why I joined a network marketing company.

But.

Network marketing can be really, really tough sell as a business. And that’s the problem. Even though network marketing literally has the term ‘marketing’ in its name, the way people build their business has NOTHING to do with actual marketing.

Say what?

The way most coaches teach their downline to “market” isn’t marketing at all. It’s sales. And I’m all for sales because that’s my profession by trade. However, I’m not for terrible sales practices that include outdated three way calls and pushing your products and “business opportunity” onto friends, family and virtually anyone with a pulse.

That’s a recipe for disaster and it’s why network marketing has an insane drop-off rate.

Because of the hype surrounding MLM companies, I’ve seen many people quit perfectly good jobs and opt-out of perfectly good skills because they believe network marketing is the magic pill career that will give them ultimate freedom, money and success.

Then they struggle to recruit people and sell products because they have no idea what the fuck they are doing, their up-line sold them a bill of goods and no one is willing to share the real secrets of the industry.  

By the time people get to me, they are beyond desperate. They want to know how they can replace the income lost by quitting their job in as little as 3-6 months. They want to know how they can hit double-platinum, diamond-crusted, master-of-the-universe rank overnight like so-and-so from their up-line did. When I tell them the truth about network marketing (i.e. it doesn’t work that way for the majority and it’s a business like any other), they are floored and devastated!

This process makes me angry.

I’m not angry that that people come to me for help. I LOVE meeting passionate people with heart and drive who want to build businesses and change lives. What I don’t like is all the bullshit the industry feeds them about quitting their jobs and making 5 figure months within 60 days.

Network marketing is a business. And like any other business, it takes time to build.

I’m sure that is not what you’ve been told and I’m sure that is not what you want to believe. But, that doesn’t make it any less true.

It’s not your fault you thought this was going to be easy. I understand how you came to that conclusion. I’m willing to bet that every person who “sold” you on joining their business did so by overpromising and telling you things like how quickly so-and-so earned $5000 their first month.  

Think about it. You were told all you needed to do was get 5 people who would get 5 people and so on for eternity. Then you could sit back and watch the dollars start rolling in.

And you might have recruited a few people when you first started. But then…

One of them dropped off.

You had to drag others along.

Another one canceled their auto-ship.

All of a sudden, the thought of actually building a downline with 5 recruits starts to feel impossible. And forget trying to teach them how to build a profitable, sustainable business.

Ugh…all this selling is NOT was network marketing was supposed to be about, right?

You know this can’t go on forever. So how do you stop selling and start marketing?

If you’re new to network marketing and starting to feel defeated, don’t lose hope! It gets better and there IS hope for your business.

First thing’s first. Do not – I repeat DO NOT – forget all your past experience and knowledge. You wouldn’t start a new job and leave all your previous knowledge at the door. Bring your entire skill set to this business. If you want to make it in network marketing full-time, You’re going to need it.

And don’t quit your day job…not just yet.

Here’s what you can do to start marketing your business.

• Use your skills to publish, publish, publish. If you have lots of public speaking experience, start a podcast that documents your journey going from an employee to business owner. If you have a knack for writing, start a blog that details your expertise in business and marketing (or fitness, recipes, etc). Capitalize on your skills and use a vehicle that will best showcase them.

• Stop listening to your upline, find mentors who are successful in the field and follow them. You chose this business because you believed in it. You owe it to yourself to find people who have achieved success and learn from them. Then…

• Implement what you are learning. Don’t get bogged down in being the most polished person in the room. Instead focus on being the most well executed. With practice, comes polish.

Let’s get real: The majority of network marketers who are killing it because they have:

1. Brought their existing downline from one company to another;
2. Built a personal brand they use to position themselves as an expert;
3. Find and recruit people from other MLM (multi-level marketing) companies.

I refuse to get into a debate about these methods, because technically there is nothing wrong with any of them. The issue is that not everyone has a downline to migrate and not everyone wants to build their business by actively poaching people from other MLM companies. That just leaves one choice: build a personal brand.

This won’t guarantee overnight success and it’s not easy. But it will give you the skills to stop chasing sales and start generating leads (with or without direct contact with prospects) through marketing.

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO TO START BUILDING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND NOW:

• Do your homework. Pick a mentor, follow what they do and implement what they suggest to begin testing the marketing waters.
• Create your ideal client checklist, find out where they hang out (online) and make a plan of action to reach them via marketing strategy.
• Start doing DMO (daily methods of operations) and put your income-producing activities first on your “to-do list” in your business daily.
• Find someone who knows the industry who can help you fast track your success – you are not an island and don’t have to do this journey on your own.

We created a 6-point checklist that discusses all these points above and more. Get that here.

And in the meantime, please keep your day job.

Or, if you have already quit, go GET another job (something preferably low stress and flexible) while you build your business. Do not starve trying to live the entrepreneur lifestyle.

And finally, know and understand that you can build a network marketing business that sustains you if you approach it with the right mindset.

BONUS:

If you’re currently growing your MLM business and are struggling to make it happen, then check out this Free Webinar from Steve Larsen. He’ll show you a few strategies that most people don’t share.

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